clear voice. “‘He maketh me to lie down in green pastures…’”
With her head still bowed, Abby followed the ancient psalm in her mind, anticipating the familiar words and feeling the deep comfort they always brought her. In her mind, she saw the Lambright land and imagined Matt’s sheep whenever she heard these verses.
“‘He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.’”
The front room took on a whole new atmosphere as everyone around her breathed deeply, silently following along as Vernon rendered the passage in his unhurried, steady cadence. Abby felt better. The bishop had set the tone for the way they would handle Zanna’s predicament.
“‘… and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.’” Bishop Gingerich sat down, leaning forward in his rocking chair, and looked at each of them in turn. Bathed in the soft glow of the oil lamps, he appeared as serene as always, yet his expression reflected the magnitude of this situation. “It’s good you’ve came back, Suzanna. This tells us you haven’t forgotten the promises you made when you took your vows earlier this year, about following our beliefs… about confession and repentance. About right living. About putting faith in God before family and all other worldly concerns.”
Zanna kept her head bowed. She knew better than to answer until she was asked a question.
Paul Bontrager spoke then, his eyes alight in a face weathered by a lifetime of farming. “We heard the story being spread by some of our girls—your friends, Suzanna—and we came here for the truth of it, as you’ve joined the church and they haven’t.” With a sigh, he added, “This seems another example of how telephones become the Devil’s own mouthpiece when they’re used for spreading gossip.”
From across the room, Abby glanced at Zanna’s face. Her sister’s cheeks were flushed, and she’d pressed her lips into a tight line. Shelooked ready to cry again. And she clearly intended to let everyone else do the talking.
“From what we’ve heard today, this is what we believe has happened,” their mother stated, eyeing Sam when he seemed ready to jump in. “Suzanna’s carrying a baby. And James Graber had nothing to do with that. Ain’t so, Suzanna?”
Zanna closed her eyes. She nodded.
“We want to hear you say it.” Mamm sounded resolute now. “There’s no hiding from a truth that affects every one of us in this room, daughter.”
A forlorn sigh filled the rough circle they formed. “Jah,” Zanna murmured. “There’s a baby. I was wrong to blame it on James.”
“And we fully intend to uphold whatever discipline you call for, Vernon,” Sam chimed in. “If it’s a kneeling confession tomorrow, a shunning to follow that, we believe it’s for the best.”
Zanna’s face fell as she glared at her brother. “I’m trying to say I’m sorry,” she whimpered. “Sorry for the way I made you all worry when I ran off—”
“And will you confess this at a Members’ Meeting after the service tomorrow morning?” The bishop leaned his elbows on his knees, trying to get Zanna to look at him. “It’s all well and good to apologize here amongst family, but true repentance is to be shared with every member. It’s a reminder of how we every one fall short, and need to be guided back to God’s path.”
“She’ll do whatever is required, Bishop,” Mamm reconfirmed. “If it means she’ll be living with my aunts in Indiana until the baby’s born, so be it. Sam and I will see that she carries out whatever you and the others decide.”
Zanna’s eyes widened like a spooked mare’s, but she held her tongue. With the bishop and Preacher Paul present, she knew better than to protest Mamm’s declaration. She swiped at a tear, then looked away as though to keep from crying more in front of them all.
“I prefer to hear
your
reply, Suzanna,” Vernon insisted. “When itcomes to confession and repenting
With her head still bowed, Abby followed the ancient psalm in her mind, anticipating the familiar words and feeling the deep comfort they always brought her. In her mind, she saw the Lambright land and imagined Matt’s sheep whenever she heard these verses.
“‘He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.’”
The front room took on a whole new atmosphere as everyone around her breathed deeply, silently following along as Vernon rendered the passage in his unhurried, steady cadence. Abby felt better. The bishop had set the tone for the way they would handle Zanna’s predicament.
“‘… and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.’” Bishop Gingerich sat down, leaning forward in his rocking chair, and looked at each of them in turn. Bathed in the soft glow of the oil lamps, he appeared as serene as always, yet his expression reflected the magnitude of this situation. “It’s good you’ve came back, Suzanna. This tells us you haven’t forgotten the promises you made when you took your vows earlier this year, about following our beliefs… about confession and repentance. About right living. About putting faith in God before family and all other worldly concerns.”
Zanna kept her head bowed. She knew better than to answer until she was asked a question.
Paul Bontrager spoke then, his eyes alight in a face weathered by a lifetime of farming. “We heard the story being spread by some of our girls—your friends, Suzanna—and we came here for the truth of it, as you’ve joined the church and they haven’t.” With a sigh, he added, “This seems another example of how telephones become the Devil’s own mouthpiece when they’re used for spreading gossip.”
From across the room, Abby glanced at Zanna’s face. Her sister’s cheeks were flushed, and she’d pressed her lips into a tight line. Shelooked ready to cry again. And she clearly intended to let everyone else do the talking.
“From what we’ve heard today, this is what we believe has happened,” their mother stated, eyeing Sam when he seemed ready to jump in. “Suzanna’s carrying a baby. And James Graber had nothing to do with that. Ain’t so, Suzanna?”
Zanna closed her eyes. She nodded.
“We want to hear you say it.” Mamm sounded resolute now. “There’s no hiding from a truth that affects every one of us in this room, daughter.”
A forlorn sigh filled the rough circle they formed. “Jah,” Zanna murmured. “There’s a baby. I was wrong to blame it on James.”
“And we fully intend to uphold whatever discipline you call for, Vernon,” Sam chimed in. “If it’s a kneeling confession tomorrow, a shunning to follow that, we believe it’s for the best.”
Zanna’s face fell as she glared at her brother. “I’m trying to say I’m sorry,” she whimpered. “Sorry for the way I made you all worry when I ran off—”
“And will you confess this at a Members’ Meeting after the service tomorrow morning?” The bishop leaned his elbows on his knees, trying to get Zanna to look at him. “It’s all well and good to apologize here amongst family, but true repentance is to be shared with every member. It’s a reminder of how we every one fall short, and need to be guided back to God’s path.”
“She’ll do whatever is required, Bishop,” Mamm reconfirmed. “If it means she’ll be living with my aunts in Indiana until the baby’s born, so be it. Sam and I will see that she carries out whatever you and the others decide.”
Zanna’s eyes widened like a spooked mare’s, but she held her tongue. With the bishop and Preacher Paul present, she knew better than to protest Mamm’s declaration. She swiped at a tear, then looked away as though to keep from crying more in front of them all.
“I prefer to hear
your
reply, Suzanna,” Vernon insisted. “When itcomes to confession and repenting
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